Border for fabrics.



W. H. CARTER.

BORDER FOR FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29, 1911.

1,079,380. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

, I z SHEETS-SHEET z.-

I 6/ Inventor: WtlLi/arn/fl Garter.

gitnesses %M %6Mz W Z1 (161112 f Ne'dham County of PATENT OFFICE,

H. (mum, on NEEnH-AM HEIGHTS, irkssnonusn'rms, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE mam -m 1mm wmnmm emnn 00., A-poaronsrm or unssacnusmrs...

orfnnnnna u HEIGHTS, MASSACHU- nonnnmron mimics.

Z'o vtlZZ-tok'em itmoy. concern Be it thatjl, -CARTEB, -a. citizen of the. United States, and a. resi Norfolk andastate of Massachnsetts have mnentecl. an; lmprovementbin Borders for I Fabrics, of whiizhlthe following description,

" stitch fabrio'borden I Q v ;,In;:ordet thatthc -inmentionmay be clearly fopgppoducing the same: I, hgthsdnamings ,Figur l s, a a

(in-conhectiomwithathe accompanying drawi -.ing's,,is.aq characters on the I d 11' "S trepmsenting'r pa ms.I

" muss-a e fan ,This intention; crochet rhnderstojblhl shill disclose f r of my mechanism by which. my. a

maybe prodncedi is a' view but showing the parts differ-j .enfl'y positioned; Fig.3 is aplan-vie'w some 3 a t-lmflmay be employedlin vthe practice.

fabrieg embodying my invention; l

'fiF g. 40s a l diagrammatic -view of a single:

of stitches consti'tuting the shell or .-clns-' :ter of myinvention;.Fig.;5'- isa yiewasimilar to of. a double. fabric border; F g. 1

6 is splint-view of east-itching forming-fine formed in'sem'atz'm, and the main and supplemental threads thereof are preferably continuous throughout the border. The

.,st:ibehes or-loops forming the ribs. offlthe clusters or shells shown in said Mei-row pat .ents are-laid along substantially true radial .linos andzlexiendc-in' fan shape bothnto: the

I yspeommfiami Letters:!atent. ntimation filed March 29, 1911.

right and to the left 2 Ward the fabric diagrammatic of .a. faIT-crochetedstitch Patentedsept. 2, 1913. Y 'SeriaINo. e zeevj of a median line drawn from the center .of the v the fabric at right angles to said edge.

One of the. objects of my invention is to produce a border composed of a connectedseries of shells or clusters wherein general direct-ion,+that is, toward the right or toward the left as'the observer lookstto 3 or wherein the. threads or loops are .so laid that the impression gained by the observer is that of aseries of loops extending to the. right or to the left as stated.

thread in ,the formation of the loops or stitches, so that the .shell instead of being .or. a puffed appearance.

cluster from .a plurality of centers in ac .indisclosed, YSaid method is not herein claimed, but will beset forth herein for the Ipurposeof securinglcompleteness and clear- '-nessof disclosure. In practising said .methodjtcxproduce the said article I may and-preferably do employ a crochet or 'overseaming machine" of the general type disclosedflinthe patent to Merrow, N 0. 428,508, jMay 20, 1890, although itis obvious that suitable means may be employed for producing the border referred to, or that it may be produced in any suitable manner. Preferably, loowwmer, the border is a machine vmade one. The mechanism preferably employed includes an eye pointed sewing machine needle, a crochet hook or knitting needle, and. a supplemental thread feeding hooky I 5 Referring more particularlyito the drawings, the frame of the machine, hich I may employ in practising my method and in hereinrnepbesented as vertically reciprocable isindic'ated at 2,. the crochet hook or kn1t the supplemental thread at 4:. These may cluster.to the edge of In carrying out my invention I prefers ably formz'the stitches of a single shell orproducing-the novel border, is indicated at 1 the eye; pointed sewing machine needle" ting needle at 3-and the feeding hook for the stitches or loops all tend in the same' I.n..carrying out my invention I preferablysupply an increased amount.- of

substantially flat as heretofore, is substa nf' atlally raised from the surface of the fabric cordance with, the method of operation herethereto.

sage of the needle 2. The fabric to which the ornamental border is to be applied is introduced at the front of the machine or from the right viewing Fig. 1, and is passed .ifn a step by step manner beneath the presser' oot 5.

- In order suitably to feed the fabric to which the border is to be applied, I preferably provide a feed slide 6 having a serrated or saw tooth edge 7 the teeth whereof are inclined to the left as indicated in Fig. 1, and an extension 8 having a pin 9 received in a slot 10'of a feed arm 11 pivoted at- 12 upon the framing of the machine. Heretofore so far as I am aware, the fabric has been fed in a step'by step manner in one direction only beneath the presser foot, each cluster or shell being formed when the fabric is at rest. In accordance with my invention, however, I impart a step by step forward feeding movement to the fabric and also a comparatively slight rearward movement .following each forward movement. This adjunctive rearward movement is for the purpose of positioning. the stitches of the shells or clusters in the manner already indicated. It is evident that any suitable means may be employed to this end. Preferably, however, I employ a gear wheel 13 fast upon the shaft 14 and a pinion 15 fast upon a shaft 16 and having thereon'an eccentric 17 receiving an eccentric strap 18 of an arm 19 having a slotted pivotal connect-ion 20 with the feed arm 11. In this manner, the feed arm,'and consequently the feed slide 6, are reciprocated in both directions. The extent of each forward feeding movement is preferably materially in excess of the ex tent of the adjunctive or'rearward feeding movement.

Upon a face of the gear 13 I suitably secure or form a cam 21 to under-ride and elevate periodically the roll 22 loose upon alever 23 pivoted at 23 upon the framing of the machine' The free end of the feed slide 6 rests upon the said roll 22 and the periodic elevation of said roll therefore periodically elevates the feed slide and simultaneously imparts a feeding movement Vithin the scope of my invention one or more cams 21 may be employed.

In order to effect the rearward feed of the fabric I provide the gear 13 with a cam 24 having a thin edge or portion 25, which in the rotation of the gear 1.3 is periodically brought beneath the roller 22 and thereby momentarily elevates rearward'feeding of the fabric. Thegear 13 the same to effect the is represented as driven in the direction- 0f 1 the arrow adjacent thereto in Fig. 1' and'the relation of the parts is such that when the cam 21 engages and lifts the roller 22, the eccentric 17 is moving the feed slide 6 to the left, viewing Fig. 1. Therefore, the feed slide when elevated into feeding relation to the fabric moves the same by means of the teeth 7 a suitable distance forward .or to the left viewing Fig. 1. The continued rotation of the gear 13 brings the cam, 2 beneath the roller 22, thereby again to elevate the feed slide 6. \Vhen the feed slide 6 is momentarily elevated by the cam 2 1 the eccentric 17 has now reached such a position that it imparts a rearward movement or movement to the right of the feed slide 6. Therefore the momentary engagement of the edge 25 of the cam 24 effects a slight rearward movement of the fabric. As shown in Figs. 1- and 2 the feed slide 6 is also provided with fabric engaging saw teeth 7 oppositely inclined with respect to the teeth 7 to effect the rearward feeding movement of the fabric.

The shell or cluster formed in accordance with the herein disclosed method may-obviously have any suitable or desired number is adapted to produce ornamental borders,

each shell whereof is composed of eight stitches. If desired, I may provide the edge of the fabric with a double row of shells. In such event, however, the outer overlying row of shells is fashionedas herein described.

At the front of the machine and in the line of feed of the fabric I provide a preferably removable finger 26, shown in Fig. 6, the edge 27 of which acts as a former about or with respect to which the loops or stitches are laid. This finger is preferably slid into a the work face of the machine and may be readily removed. The inner end 28 of said finger extends somewhat to the left of the needle 2, viewing Fig. 1, so that as the stitches are positioned by the needles, they are received by the narrowed inner end of said finger. The said finger is provided with a slight swell or shoulder 34 to hold the initial stitches of the shell in the position in which they are laid and prevent themfrom being forced or crowded substantially to the left viewing Fig. 6.

T In. formlng the ornamental border, I may employ as indicated in Fig. 7, a main or sewing thread 30 fed by the sewing needle 2 and a thread fed by the hook or guide 4:. I also provide a crochet hook. or sewing machine needle 3, to which is imparted a ieciprocatory movement above and then beneath the face of the fabric and in substantial parallelism therewith. The needles 2, 3 may be operated in any suitable manner to impart the desired movements thereto. Each stitch is made up of two lengths or portions of thread constituting a single bight or loop. The main thread extends from the point 31 of the fabric constituting a center from which certain of the stitches of the shell diverge. The hook of the knitting needle,3 is preliminarily positioned at the left of both threads and thereafter draws them to the right viewing Fig. 7 and positions them in the formation of the shell. The needle 3 is then moved to the lower face of the fabric, thereby completing one cycle of movement and positioning a single stitch of the shell or cluster. This operation is'repeated until a suitable number of stitches to complete the shell are formed. The outer edge of the shell is formed of crocheted loops substantially as indicated in the Merrow Patent, No. 414,233, and the supplemental thread, if employed, preferably" enters into the crocheted portions of the loops.

If a double border, as indicated in Fig. 5, be desired, then after the fabric has been run once through the machine and a single series of clusters35 has been formed along or near its edge, the fabric is run again through the machine and the outer series of clusters 36 is formed in or upon the single series or between it and the extreme edge, and extends outward therefrom as indicated in said figure.

Heretofore in the formation of borders composed of a series of shells or clusters the stitches as laidor during the formation of each shell or cluster slide orare forced by succeeding stitches in the direction of the forward feed of the fabric. Therefore and assuming a cluster to be' formed of eight stitches, it is obvious that the first three or four stitches extend in a forward direction or generally in the direction in which the fabric is fed. The final stitches of the shell main sewing thread and the knittingne'edle do not participate in theforward feeding V movement of the fabric and hence tend to. draw the last formed stitches or loops of the shell rearwardly, or so that they radiate -to ward the right instead of' toward the left and in themanner indicated in the Merrow Patents, No-4:l3,077 and No. 414,233/ Intermediate stitches or loops of the cluster extend directly outward, so that a general fan shaped effect is produced.

[In carrying out my invention and assuming that the shell or cluster is composed of eight stitches, a certain number of stitches,

say three, are laid from a single center, so that they diverge therefrom and then the remaining stitches of the said shell or chi. ter arelaid from a closely adjoining center and diverge therefrom, but are grouped with the three, first laid stitches, so as to form a single shell or cluster. In order that the completed shells or clusters may present a raised or puffed appearance and not lie substantially fiat against the fabric, I provide an additional amount of thread to the stitches as by forming said stitches about a relatively broad 'finger or former 26. Moreover I retain eachstitch in the position in which it is initially laid, at least until all the stitches of a cluster or shell are laid. In this manner the stitches are not distended and flattened but remain puffed ori elevated.

' As the mechanism herein represented is adjusted the first three stitches of each shell or those lettered A, B and C in Fig. 4, are laid when the fabric has been fed forward to a new position immediately-following the formation of the preceding cluster or shell. Owing to the shape'of the finger 26, these three stitches practically do not slide forward, but are substantially held in their position as laid. These three stitches radiate from the center a. is moved to the rear slightly as described, so that the succeeding threads of the shell radiate or extend from a new center 6, which Thereupon the fabric is very slightly in advance of the center a. Preferably the first threads of those laid from the center b, as, for example. threads D, E, partially overlie the threads I; and C, so that'even though the threads 13 and 0 do radiate very slightly to the left, they are partially concealed by the overlying. threads. In the same manner, the thread A may be overlaid if desired, but this mightiin some cases unduly narrow the shell. Practically, however, 'the threads A, B and C do not in the disclosed embodiment of the'invention radiate toward the left, and the wholege-neral efiect' of the threads or stitches of the shell is an inclination or curl toward the right, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. 1

Inasmuch as in forming the shell or cluster as disclosed in the said Merrow patents, all the stitches radiate from a common point, it is obvious that the tendency of each sueceeding stitch was to crowd the others forwardly, in the direction of feed of the fabric. By laying certain of the stitches from a new center as described, this tendency is overcome and all the threads extend in a direction opposite to the feed of the fabric. The outer edge of the shell is crocheted by the knitting needle or crochet-hook 3, as substantially indicated. in the Morrow Patent, No. 414,233. The engagement of the knitting needle with the last stitch of each cluster or shell as the fabric is" fed forward after the completion of the shell draws all the I threads toward the right,that is, in a direction opposite to the feed of the fabric, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description, it will be clearly'understood that each of the several stitches making up any shell or cluster isprimarily and predeterminedly laid in its proper position relative to all the other stitches of said cluster. For this reason, the

said stitches preserve their original characteristics. They are originally laid with sufiicient slackness or amount of thread to give them an elevated or fiufi'y appearance, and this appearance is not lost in, but is characteristic of the completed fabric. The stitches of a cluster are laid in their predetermined relative position, with a general trend in the same direction (in the presentcase, to the right) and then the fabric is fed forward and the engagement of the knitting needle with the las. stitch of the cluster re- 1 sults in drawing all the stitches of that cluster still farther in the same direction (that is, to the right), but the relative position of the severalst-itches is preserved unimpaired, and is .not broken up and disarranged as would be the case if the stitches were laid in lines radiating both to the right and to the left and then all the stitches were drawn to .the right or to the left. Moreover, because the. stitches are laid from two centers, the

latter laid stitches of that cluster do not the cluster is preserved, and it does not be- "t'en'tionally composed of stitches radiating 'Hereto-fore each or cluster of stitches of ashell-like border, such as shown in the patent to'Merrow, No. 414,236, has been insubstantially from a single point, and the machine for making said fabric has been designed and constructed to secure the penetration of the fabric always at the same point for the formation of the entire set of stitches. In practice, however, this repeated penetration of the fabric at the same point.

has tended constantly to displace the fabric very slightly, so that there is no distinct form given to the base of each set of stitches. In other words, all the stitches radiate from a single point or center of penetration, which, however, has no defined area and location. Therefore, it has been necessary to hold the work firmly, so as to prevent its displacement during the repeated needle penetration. In accordance with my invention, however, the first portion of the set of stitches penetrates the fabric at a distinct and common point, and then the fabric and the needle are relatively shifted, so that the succeeding portion of the stitches (and preferably the entire remaining portion of the stitches) penetrate the base or foundation fabric at an adjacent butdistinct and com mon center, the stitches making up the second portion of the set'of stitches overlying a part of the stitches of the first set and sub stantially confine or position them.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to understood that although specific terms are. employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense-r and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claim.

As a new article of manufacture, a stitch fabric border consisting of a base or foundation and a series of sets of stitches secured thereto, 6. 10h set of stitches of said series being crocheted together in loops at their outer ends'and arranged in a general shell or (ilus er lormation, a portion of the stitches compr sing each set diverging from a first or coizxmoa center and a succeedingportion of the stitches comprising each set diverging from an adjacent but distinct and common center, and overlying and confining the basal parts of the stitches constituting said first portion.

In testimony whereof, I haresigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscriblng witnesses.

WILLIAM H. CARTER.

Witnesses I WILLIAM CARTER, PPESTON MITCHELL. 

